title: Natural evolution from idiopathic photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy to idiopathic generalized epilepsy in an untreated young patient.
abstract: Idiopathic photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy (IPOE) is an idiopathic localization-related epilepsy characterized by age-related onset, specific mode of precipitation, occipital photic-induced seizures--frequently consisting of visual symptoms--and good prognosis. This uncommon epilepsy, which usually starts in childhood or adolescence, has rarely been observed in families in which idiopathic generalized epilepsy also affects other members. We describe a nuclear family in which the proband showed electro-clinical features of idiopathic photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy in childhood, which subsequently evolved into absences and a single generalized tonico-clonic seizure in early adolescence. His mother had features suggestive of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. This case illustrates a continuum between focal and generalized entities in the spectrum of the so-called idiopathic (genetically determined) epileptic syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, INSERM UMR 1106, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France. Electronic address: francesca.bonini@univu-amu.fr.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy; San Raffaele Pisana, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Egeo
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Jinan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fattouch
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fanella
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morano
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Teresa
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Giallonardo
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: di Bonaventura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018450:Disease Progression; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000503:physiopathology; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020195:Epilepsy, Reflex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000503:physiopathology; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Electroencephalography; Idiopathic photosensitive occipital lobe epilepsy; Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy; Photosensitivity